Weekly Catch Up #4

 I haven't done one of these posts in a looong time, and I really like reading other peoples weekly roundups so I thought I'd get back into doing them! I had this week off work and I have been looking forward to it for ages, a week of not doing very much but getting to spend time with my family and boyfriend, and just generally relax.

 I wore my new Adidas Superstars for the first time this week and I am OBSESSED with them. I bought them last weekend and couldn't wait to get them out of the box. I paired them with a new pair of jeans from Primark and my new grey Zara coat. Yes, expect a haul very soon as I've been a busy shopper!

I went to Brother Hubbard for the first time this week and tried their hot chocolate which was voted one of the best in Dublin. Although it was pretty good, I wouldn't say its the best, that is yet to be found for me! I do like the fact that they have melted chocolate ganache in your mug and then you pour hot frothy milk over it and stir to desired chocolatey-ness. It reminded me of the amazing hot chocolates I had in Copenhagen last year.

 A few months ago I won a competition for a nights stay in the Morgan hotel in Temple Bar, so I saved it to use this week which was really nice. When my boyfriend and I arrived we got upgraded to a room with the most amazing bath in the middle! This was definitely the highlight of my week, as I got to fully chill out and unwind, while also feeling like I was on holidays, even if it was just for a night.

For any of you that follow me over on YouTube you may have already seen that I got my haircut! It's a lot shorter than the last time, and I initially hated it but am slowly getting used to it now that I've styled it myself a few times.

How was your week? I love doing these kinds of posts, so I'll definitely be doing more in the run up to Christmas. I'm off to London tomorrow for a few days so follow me over on Instagram for some inevitable snaps of London at Christmas!

November Favourites Video

In case you missed it over on my YouTube channel I've just uploaded my (late as always) November Favourites video. There aren't too many in this one as I didn't have too many for beauty, but my biggest favourite would have to be The Irish Times Women's Podcast which I've been listening to for the last few weeks!

Being Alone.

Today I wanted to write about something that I think is really important, and thats being on your own. Now I’m not talking about being single or even being lonely, but something far simpler and more positive, being alone. I think one of the most vital skills in life is the ability to enjoy your own company, and I meet more and more people who seem to struggle with this.

Most people will agree that they enjoy a few hours alone in their room catching up on a TV show or reading a book. These are definitely good examples of being on your own and being ok with it. However, enjoying your own company extends beyond the confines of your bedroom where you are comfortable. Its more about not depending on others to make you feel comfortable when you’re outside the house.

Earlier on this year, and again only a few weeks ago, I travelled on my own to London for work. Both times I was there for two weeks and had my boyfriend come to stay for a few days. The rest of the time I was on my own. During the day I was obviously working and surrounded by people all day, but the evenings and few days off I had were completely my own. The first trip I took I was quite nervous about these times as although I was completely happy on my own in the confines of the hotel room, heading out for a full day in London alone seemed like quite a daunting task despite the infinite list of things there are to do. However, on my last trip I really looked forward to these days and evenings by myself, which is something i am quite proud of. I don’t think my younger self would have believed me if I said that I could quite contentedly go for dinner by myself. Spending an entire day alone wandering around a city is such a pleasurable experience, I had no internet connection on my phone as I was abroad which at first I thought I would struggle with as phones are great when you feel awkward as there is always something to look at. Instead it was quite liberating, I really took in my surroundings and dwelled in my own thoughts instead of the constant bombardment of images and opinions coming from Instagram/Facebook/Twitter. I spent an entire afternoon wandering around the National Gallery and some bookshops and really did enjoy spending an entire day with nobody but myself. When I did eventually get back to my hotel room, I had such feeling of contentment at how I had spent my day and that everything I had chosen to do was completely for me, and what I wanted to do.

Something we all struggle with is that we all think that everyone out there is looking at us, and when you’re by yourself you think people notice, and dare I say it, feel sorry for you. Once you stop thinking this way it all becomes easier. Nobody CARES. Really, nobody is looking at you, everyones too caught up in their own life to wonder why a girl is in the cinema by herself. If I see someone drinking coffee in a cafe or having lunch by themselves I think “how great!” ,they feel so comfortable and unselfconscious to do that and not worry about it. So get those thoughts out of your head, or if you really can’t and you feel that yes, people are staring at you, just think ‘who cares?’. Chances are you don’t know them, also they might be staring at you because they think you have a fantastic bum/smile/outfit and haven’t even noticed you’re alone. Half of it is more than likely just paranoia.

I really wanted to write this because I think we place so much importance on who we were with all the time. Tagging and checking yourself in on Facebook and Instagram with friends, its like we need to tell the world “hey look I’m not on my own, I have loads of friends!!” Not that doing this is necessarily a bad thing, I am definitely someone who posts on Instagram that I’m meeting friends for lunch or drinks, but we need to have some balance. Don’t get me wrong, I do love to spend time with my friends, boyfriend and family, I also happen to enjoy being on my own. I just don’t think we value how vital it is to spend time with yourself. My boyfriend and I are together almost seven years and I like to think that one of the reasons for this is that we both are quite like minded when it comes to this. We are both aware that we need our own space and time alone. Something I love about us is that we can be in the same room, each doing a separate and absorbing task and its ok that we’re not necessarily talking to each other, we’re happy to sit in a comfortable silence.

Reasons why its great to be on your own;

-Not having to share your popcorn in the cinema- especially if its butter, you want that deliciousness all to yourself

-Having time to actually think without feeling the need to constantly converse

-Getting to know yourself better

- Not being entirely dependent on your phone as a source of distraction

Some nice things to do on your own;

• Go to an art gallery or exhibition you’re interested in by yourself
• Something as simple as doing some yoga in your room, but for a full hour uninterrupted
• Go for a coffee on your own, and don’t make it a ‘to go’, sit and enjoy it
• Take a walk, I love walking by myself, especially without any music
• Go to the cinema on your own- I have always wanted to do this but still haven’t got around to it!

Being Happy & Doing What You Love.

In the last year or so I’ve had, not to be dramatic or anything, a bit of a career crisis. For most of my teenage and early adult life I wanted to be a writer, and then about three years ago I had an awful thought that I would never be good enough. Instead of working hard at it and finding some time to write every week I just gave up. I would occasionally (and still do) sign into my blog and make a few half-hearted attempts to write about a new lipstick, but never anything real. Not that lipstick isn’t something of vital importance to write about (sometimes it really is) but there needs to be some real enjoyment and passion behind the writing, which mine has lacked for a long time. All of this self-doubt and lack of practice put me off pursuing a career in writing, quite specifically my dream to work for a magazine. Over the last few months I’ve started to get back a lot of the passion I had lost, and realised that I never stopped wanting that dream job, I just stopped thinking I could do it. So instead of wondering what to write about, and stressing about the fact that it’s going to be really hard to achieve everything I want, I’m going to write about it. I want this blog to change and to be somewhere I can write about all manner of topics, yes there will still be makeup related posts (that love for lipstick is going nowhere) but I think I have so much more to offer, so expect something different from me. When was sixteen I had a blog and I wrote about whatever interested me, I posted my poems (always quite awful believe me) my photography, fashion and makeup posts and short stories. I want to go back to this time of blissful unselfconsciousness and write whatever I please, not caring if other people like it. There is something very cathartic about this idea and hopefully it will get me back not the practice of writing again.

All this is in pursuit of the title of this post, being happy and doing what you love. I couldn’t sleep a few weeks ago as my brain was stuck in this whirlwind of awful thoughts that I was wasting my life in a job I don’t like and feel no passion for. This fear had me in a sort of vice grip for a couple of weeks as I was having some sort of prolonged internal panic attack that just felt like my brain was screaming ‘WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING WITH YOUR LIFE?’. Someone who inspires me on this regard is my Dad, he works in IT and he loves his job. Yes, he gets stressed out and tired, but on a daily basis he wakes up and doesn’t dread going to work, he enjoys his job. i think this is something so rare and it makes me really sad that so many of us spend the majority of our lives at work and we hate almost every minute of it. As cheesy as it is to say, if you find a job you love doing you won’t work a day in your life, or something vaguely along those lines. This is my dream, to find something I genuinely love to do. That should be easy right?

Handbag Essentials for a Girl on the Go.

Instead of your typical 'Whats in my bag' post (which are something I love to read being the nosey person that I am) today I've put together one that is specifically aimed at those running from meeting to meeting during the week or even if you're just headed to an interview. As you can see from the photos, I really am a pro at squeezing as much as possible into a small bag, so lets go through what I managed to squash in;

1. The Bag: You're going to want something that looks professional and goes with everything, in this case black is your best friend as it will go with any outfit. This satchel in particular is made by the brand Zatchel and it was a 21st birthday present. Its a really classic and timeless style so it won't go out of fashion or be a bag you get tired of. Its also super practical as it has a shoulder strap so you can just sling it over your arm, the leather has become lovely and soft now which makes it easier to squeeze more in!

2. Purse: An obvious essential here but I thought it should be mentioned! Mine is from Michael Kors and is again, plain black so it goes with everything. Make sure that you are always prepared with change for your bus or train as you don't want to be late for a meeting or have to pay for a taxi! I would also recommend to carry some cash on you, especially if your meeting is in a coffee shop so that you can split the bill far easier than if you only carry a card.

3. A Diary and a pen: My diary/planner is by Moleskine, this is my favourite brand as they are made from soft leather and are a nice small size for your handbag while still being big enough to have two pages per week. I always carry mine with me as its handy for keeping track of work/appointments/meetings, making your life more organised and less stressful.

4. Spare tights: I cannot stress enough how useful it is to have a pair tucked into your bag. There is nothing worse than realising there is a hole or ladder in your tights halfway through the day. It instantly makes you self-conscious, and in my opinion it look quite unprofessional.

5. Umbrella: Living in Dublin means carrying an umbrella is essential, you can never tell which way the weather will turned. The last thing you want is to arrive at a meeting with wet, wind-blown hair so make sure you always have a fold up umbrella in your bag, mine is from COS.

6. Deodorant: If you're running from place to place for meetings all day I would recommend bringing some deodorant with you. It's nice to have in your bag so that you can freshen up halfway through your day.

7. Make-Up Bag: This is possibly (for me anyway) the most important thing to bring! For an interview or important meeting I would nearly always wear a bright lip to make you stand out and appear more confident. I've packed Ruby Woo from MAC as its my all time favourite red, as well as being matte so it will stay on all day. Also in my makeup bag is a mirror, for touch ups on the go, mints as its important to have fresh breath but not to arrive chewing gum, paracetamol in case you get a headache but still have to attend, and lastly hair ties and clips in case of a hair emergency on the way!

I hope you guys enjoyed this post and it was helpful to some of you! Let me know down in the comments what your handbag essentials are for a busy week of work/meetings. This post was written in association with Meetings Booker and you can check out their original post here.

Natural/Everyday Makeup for Acne/Acne Scarring.

For any of you that missed it, Yesterday I uploaded a new video over on my YouTube channel. This one is specifically aimed at anyone with acne/acne scarring that wants to cover it without looking like they're wearing too much make-up. It's ideal for anyone going back to school where you're not allowed to wear make-up or even just back to college and you're looking for a simple, fresh everyday look. Also, all the products used are available in the drugstore/Boots/Superdrug!
Let me know what you guys think over on my channel!

Weekly Catch Up #3

Last week was a good week- I got to catch up with friends, spent money when I had none, saw my grandparents and ate lots of delicious food. the bikini body diet went straight out the window-which you'll see in the pictures below! I thought I'd share with you what I got up to last week through my Instagram- you can follow me here.

              

I ADORE stationary- just in case any of you don't know that about me. In fact, me and two of my best friends share this love, one of which is moving away for college in September (devastated) and we're already scheduling in a stationary shopping day before she goes! I picked up 25 Sharpies in Easons the other day for a mere €12.99. Bargain of the year- who doesn't love Sharpies?! I literally have no idea what I'll use them all for, but I'll make it my mission to find something.

                           

We got some sunny weather this week so I decided to ditch the all black and wear some more summery colours- for me this means white and grey, about as colourful as I get. Here I'm wearing my beloved Topshop grey coat, Topshop white trainers and my long COS shirt dress.

         

Speaking of stationary loving friends- we met up this week for a catch up- where there was lots of exciting news, and we went to Bunsen. Now for any of you living in Dublin, or who are planning a trip soon, Bunsen is an absolute MUST. Best burger in Dublin. You'll see many places claiming to have the 'best burger in Dublin' but they're all lying to you. I don't have much more to say on this except that you have to go- straight up burgers with no fuss, so little fuss that their menu is printed on tiny business cards.

          

I had five days off last week and it was fabulous, I had no real plans except to relax and spend time with my family. My Dad and I started our few days off with a walk along Skerries beach with the dog and went for tea and scones after. We went to Olive in Skerries which is a great spot on a sunny day to sit outside and have breakfast or lunch.

              

During my days off I finally had time to colour in my world map- I bought this plain map in COS and a girl I work with suggested colouring in the places you've visited. Thinking I'd been to far more places than I actually had I set about colouring it in only to quickly realise that going to a lot of places in Europe doesn't equate to much when you're looking at a world map. I think its time to book some holidays!

              

On Saturday I had the nicest day, my Mum, my Grandma and I went into the city centre for some shopping and walking around the city. First stop is one of my favourite cafes- Le Petit Parisien on Wicklow Street. Stepping inside you almost feel you could be in Paris, the decor, staff and music all feel so authentic without being cheesy or ridiculous. Its such a lovely cosy spot, not to mention the great coffee and even better cakes. I got the raspberry and almond tart and it was divine.

                

We decided to be tourists for the day and go to Trinity College to see the Book of Kells and the Library. I can't believe I've never been in to the Library before, it was amazing. For book lovers like me it was a dream, I wanted to move in. 

              

We finished off the day with a cocktail in the Shelbourne- quite a ladylike end to the day. This cocktail was called 'Eat the Peach' and it was absolutely delicious. Peach bitters mixed with vodka

and muddled peaches and fresh raspberries- it was well worth the shocking price tag. 

I hope you enjoyed this little weekly catch up guys- and if you're coming to Dublin hopefully it gave you a few ideas on places to go while you're here!

Burial Rites Book Review.

Hey everyone! So I'm finally back with a new book video, this time I've reviewed Hannah Kent's debut novel, Burial Rites. This was one so many of my subscribers recommend to me and I absolutely loved it, such a sad but intriguing read. If you want to know more about it just watch the video!
The most important question is, what to read next?

Weekly Catch Up #2

This week was a good week. The weather in Dublin finally picked up and we had almost a whole week of sunshine! One of the best things about working in the city centre is meeting up with people after work on a sunny day, one of my favourite things to do is get some ice-cream and sit in Stephen's Green Park which I got to do twice this week!

I actually got to wear something summery this week. Jacket//Topshop Dress//Zara Leggings//H&M Shoes//Penneys(Primark).

On Monday myself, my Boyfriend and my little brother went for a (cheeky) Nandos and then to see Jurassic World, it was so good! I've always been a big fan of the originals so it certainly had a lot to live up to. Its by no means as good as Jurassic Park but its still a good watch and I would even go and see it again! Chris Pratt is pretty easy on the eyes in it as well :)

On Friday I also got a chance to meet up with friends, we headed to Captain Americas for food and cocktails (the chicken nachos are my favourite thing EVER) and it was so nice to catch up after everyone has been so busy recently! Its made me excited for the rest of the summer and doing more of this!

A New Favourite: Adult Colouring Books.

Adult colouring books have been popular for quite a while now, but recently every time I walk into a book shop there's a display of them to tempt me. When I initially began to see them popping up I didn't think I would be into the idea, that I'd feel a bit silly. However, the more of them I saw the more I wanted one, especially one of Johanna Basford's as they're particularly nice.

I picked mine up in Harrods when I was in London a few months ago and I love it. The illustrations are stunning, some of them so detailed and complex that they require a lot of time and patience! I bought Crayola colouring pencils initially, which do work really well, although some of the pages are so small and detailed that I did get some Staedlter fine tipped coloured pens to do those. I got mine in Easons for around ten euro and they're brilliant.

 I find it so relaxing to sit down and do a bit of colouring, I know that sounds a bit ridiculous at 23 years of age, but I like to do it while I'm catching up on You Tube videos as it makes me feel slightly more productive! It's also oddly relaxing, and it surprised me how long it takes to complete a page.

Johanna Basford has two of these books, the one I have is the Enchanted Forest and her other is the Secret Garden, which I plan on getting next! Personally, I think that these make great gifts and I have already bought one for a friend and I'll definitely be buying more for my family at Christmas time!

Bobbi Brown Intensive Serum Foundation.

Say Hello to my new favourite foundation. This stuff is G-O-R-G-E-O-U-S.

When I bought this foundation I was originally intending on just picking up my usual Skin Foundation from Bobbi Brown which I've raved about for such a long time and I still love. However when I saw the new one sitting there, which I had already heard so much about, I swatched some on the back of my hand and it was love at first sight. Whilst almost hyperventilating at how utterly fabulous this foundation looked just on my hand, the girl at the counter told me that everyone thinks its the best foundation Bobbi has ever made and I would have to agree.

What I loved most about the Bobbi Brown Skin was the beautiful, glowy finish it would leave on the skin. As you all know I have a lot of acne scarring that is very red and can be quite hard to cover, so I found that I was using quite a lot of foundation to cover it. My other option was also to go for a heavier coverage foundation but I had never found one that gave me the dewy finish I love, until now! I feel like this serum foundation combines the luminous, glowy finish of the Skin Foundation with a heavy coverage, something that I've wanted for so long!

Its not only the finish and coverage that I love about this, The packaging is really nice- a heavy black glass bottle with a pipette instead of a pump which really does make it feel more like luxurious skincare than a foundation. It smells amazing too, packed full of good skincare ingredients it doesn't smell perfumed but instead really natural. Its also a complete bonus that its a SPF 40 which is perfect for me in the everyday Irish sun.

I honestly can't say anymore good things about this foundation, I can't ever see myself switching to another one, definitely head to your nearest Bobbi Brown counter to try it for yourself! Also, if any of you are wondering I wear the palest shade which is Porcelain.

Neon Nails.

If you've watched some of my recent videos you may have seen this colour pop up on my nails- its definitely quite a hard colour to miss! I mentioned in my latest video that for the past few months I've been getting acrylic nails which I love. I never thought I'd be a fake nail kind of girl, but after years of weak, brittle and short nails I decided that it was time to be fabulous. This of course meant getting the acrylics.

After I had the second set of fillers I decided I wanted something really bright to paint them with so I went on the hunt for a neon orange. This Orly one was the brightest I could find and it doesn't even look that bright in the picture! The shade is Neon Tangerine and I adore it, its almost obnoxiously bright and is oh-so-perfect for the summer. I think it would look especially great with a nice tan (something I always think I'll achieve over the summer yet never do). The formula of this is really nice- it definitely needs at least two coats though as its can be quite streaky after one. I usually apply three coats simply because I want it to be a really intense and vibrant neon.

Let me know what your favourite nail colours are for summer down in the comments!

A Fresh Start.

I'm writing this post with a fresh start in mind, both for me and for this blog. I used to be mad into blogging years ago and I would post on my old blog almost every day; however since I started my YouTube channel and this blog to go with it I've really neglected this side of things. I guess you could look at this post as my 'half-year' resolutions! Here are some of the things I'd like to do more of and achieve by the end of this year;

1. As you can tell from the picture above, eating more healthily is something I'm aiming for, for the rest of 2015. I uploaded that picture to my Instagram this morning of a Deliciously Ella smoothie recipe I tried for the first time; which you can get here. It was a peach and frozen banana summer smoothie which was so yummy and refreshing to have for breakfast! For me it marks the start of really trying to eat much healthier so that I can look and feel better in myself. I've spent most of today cooking healthy dinners that I can batch freeze and bring to work with me when I'm on the late shifts; as those are the days I end up making bad choices and spending money I don't need to on crap food. I'll be keeping you guys updated with my progress and if I come across any amazing recipes I'll be sure to share them here!

2. Getting fitter is something I've been trying to do all year. I did a lot of running for the first few months of 2015 and I hugely improved my fitness levels. Although I have let that slip quite a bit. I went for a run yesterday for the first time in ages and I was actually so impressed at how well I did. My fitness levels hadn't plummeted as I thought they would have and I really enjoyed myself- it was a beautiful day on the beach which always helps! I've also been hugely inspired by another Irish YouTuber called FacesByGrace who I have been following for quite some time now, originally it was for her beauty videos and posts but recently I've been loving her fitness posts. Grace has lost almost three stone (I think) through Slimming World and what looks like an intense fitness regime, she looks incredible and I find her Instagram feed so inspiring while at the same time really realistic as she always shares her ups and downs!

3. Blogging more- I'll be brief with this one as I've already discussed it above, but I really want to get back into blogging. As I said I used to be mad into blogging and I love writing but YouTube has kind of distracted me from it. I used to read so many blogs and then I stopped because I would watch YouTube instead, recently however I've got back into reading blogs, discovered some new ones and rediscovered some that I loved years ago! I really want to work hard on this blog and get back into writing and photography again, so expect to see a lot of different types of posts as I want this blog to be about more than just beauty.

4. My main mission for 2015 is to figure out what I want to do with my life haha! Sounds a bit dramatic I know, but since I graduated I feel like I've been drifting around and not quite knowing what career path I want to take, I'm currently working in retail and at times I do really like it but its definitely not something I want to pursue in the long run. I want to take the second half of this year and really think about what career options are out there and push myself to chase whatever it is I decide to do- even if that happens to be a scuba-diving instructor or a florist.

5. I also want to read a lot more- this month I've barely read a thing, which does happen to me occasionally. The few months previous to this I devoured every book that came near me, and after this almost always follows a little 'reading drought' as I like to call them. I need to get out of this lull and start reading again as I've bought so many new books recently that I'm dying to read and review them over on my YouTube channel!

6. Lastly, this year I would really like to move out. Myself and my boyfriend Peter have been together for over six years now and it really is about time we moved in together! Hopefully this will be the year we finally get our own place- which will be so exciting!

Apologies for the long and rambly post,  but sometimes the best way to achieve something is to write it all down, you know? So hopefully the second half of this year I'll start to see some of these things happening! Expect to see a lot more blog posts from me from now on and if you have any suggestions on anything in particular you'd like me to write about, just leave me a comment!

Charlotte Tilbury's Filmstar Bronze & Glow.

Seeing as I mentioned this in my last blog post I thought it was about time I reviewed it! A couple of weeks ago I finally got my hands on the Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Bronze and Glow which is probably one of the most popular products from her make-up line. I've wanted this for ages as any review/tutorial I've seen featuring this seems to make contouring look oh-so-easy and natural.

Now I've been a fan of my Sleek Contour Kit in Light for a long time, however it is a bit too dark for me so I only tend to use it if I'm going out in the evening and my make-up is a lot heavier.

What I love about the Filmstar Bronze and Glow is that the contour shade is light enough that I can use it during the day. It has no shimmer and looks really natural and soft, as well as being an absolute dream to blend! I use a fluffy Real Techniques Duo-Fibre brush to apply the contour and a smaller one for the highlight. The highlighter is also gorgeous- a soft gold shimmer that really does have that filmstar look- as though you're bathed in candlelight.

I know I've put a lot of photos in this post but I just had to show you all the packaging- the way it was boxed was gorgeous and the packaging itself is STUNNING. I have to say the gold art deco style palette really did seduce me with this palette, some may complain that the price is ridiculous, but as a luxurious gift I think it would be such a treat.

Let me know if you've tried this product or what I should get next from Charlotte Tilbury!

Weekly Catch Up #1

I used to do these weekly catch ups every week but I haven't for ages! I thought I'd let you know what I was up to last week!

You may have seen on my Instagram that I made a very naughty purchase last weekend- the Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Bronze and Glow. It's finally mine! So far it's LOVE- expect to see a full review up here during the week.

I also treated myself to a Yes Equality cupcake from The Cupcake Bloke this week as his stall is only around the corner from where I work. The cupcakes are €2, delicious, and 50c of each one goes towards funding the Yes Campaign making them guilt-free cupcakes!

On Saturday morning myself and two friends did the Darkness Into Light walk for Pieta House! It starts at 4am and is on in different locations all over the country, we did ours in Malahide and it was so nice! You walk through plenty of foresty areas so its really dark! Parts of the way are light up with fairy lights or little candles, the Castle was also all lit up which was really nice and atmospheric. The sun comes up as you walk and all money goes towards suicide prevention. I'll definitely be doing it again next year but I think I'll be running it next time!

Also thought I would share a song that's been stuck in my head all week! It's by two friends of mine and is in support of marriage equality! Please give it a listen and a share!  Mothers and Fathers: I Will Always Love You: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=YvefmKIux6E

Tweezerman Tweezers.

Tweezerman tweezers where have you been all my life?!

If you've seen my most recent You Tube video you'll have heard me ramble on about these already- basically I love them. I've heard people hail these tweezers as 'life-changing' and other overly-dramatic terms, but now I can only agree with them. At between 16-30€ they're not the cheapest but they really are worth it. For years I've been using cheap tweezers not thinking there would be much of a difference, but as I've now realised the ones I had been using were so chunky and blunt that it was no wonder I avoided plucking my eyebrows until I literally looked like Wolverine! The Tweezerman ones are so sharp and thin that they make plucking you're eyebrows so easy as you can get right into the root which means its less painful. The sharpness also means you can be more precise with your shape!

Overall, I really couldn't recommend these enough- I just wish I'd listened to the hype sooner!

Pixi Glow Tonic.

I have been waiting so long to try this product that I practically ran back

to my apartment after I bought it! This is one of only a handful of products that I can say has made a real difference to my skin.

 The Pixi Glow Tonic is an acid exfoliator/toner that can be used very day as it isn't too harsh. There's so much aloe vera in this as well so it never feels  to harsh on the skin. I put some onto a cotton pad and sweep it all over my face after cleansing. I try to wait as long as possible before applying any of my oil/night cream to really let it work its magic.

As I have acne prone skin I find physical exfoliators just spread bacteria and infection on my face so I do need something like an acid exfoliant to take away dead skin and help to fade acne scarring. After only three days of using this my skin felt completely different! It was so glowy, all my dry patches were gone and it helped to clear up any breakouts I had. I also found that my makeup sat so much nicer after using this as my skin felt much fresher and dewy.

I will definitely be repurchasing this as it has done wonders for my skin. Unfortunately its not available to buy here in Ireland yet- I bought mine in Liberties for £18.00. It is available online though but you have to pay for; I'd recommend getting a friend who is interested to get one as well and then you can split the cost of the shipping!

Max Benjamin Candle in French Linen Water.

I have quite the addiction to candles. I think a lot of women share this addiction which does make me feel a little better, I can't walk out of a homeware shop without buying a candle most of the time but I've never reviewed any on here before!

The one I'm burning in the picture above is a Max Benjamin candle- they are an Irish company so they're easily available to buy here in Dublin. The candles themselves are 100% natural wax and come in gorgeous white jars which look really pretty sitting on a coffee table or a desk. I have the French Linen Water candle and I love the scent. My Mum bought it for me as she knows I love smells like clean, fresh washing and she was so right! The smell of this is quite sweet but at the same the really fresh. Its a lovely candle to be burning now, during Spring. I have this in my bedroom and find that I can smell it even when its not burning which is really nice.

I would highly recommend the Max Benjamin candles if you haven't tried them before. Especially if you can't afford a Jo Malone or Diptyque candle, these retail for around twenty euro, and would make a lovely gift.

Charlotte Tilbury Eyeshadow Pallette Review.

I got this palette for Christmas so I thought it was about time I finally reviewed it here on my blog! I have mentioned this eyeshadow palette in a favourites video before but I wanted you guys to see some proper photos. I've lusted after something from Charlotte Tilbury's make-up line for ages so my Mum bought me the Vintage Vamp for Christmas, which was rather lovely of her. I decided to go for this one in particular as it was filled with shades that I don't have already- when you have as much make-up as I do you end up with a LOT of neutral palettes! The shades in this are much more red toned which was something a bit different for me, but still wearable.

I literally swoon at the packaging on Charlotte Tilbury's products- they're so art deco and glamorous. All the shadows in this quad are gorgeous quality and easy to blend as well as nicely pigmented. The first shade is a pinky-champagne colour that can be washed all over the lid or used as an inner-corner/browbone highlight. The second is a rich red-brown that can be used in the crease and on the lower lash line, If you want the daytime version of the Vintage Vamp look you can just use these two colours. To vamp it up for the evening Charlotte suggests deepening the crease with the final colour which is a more cool toned red-brown and adding a pop of glitter with that super shimmery gold shadow.

I love this palette so much and think its really handy for travelling as it has a great mirror, is nice and compact and you can do a really wearable day to night look with it.

Chanel Les 4 Ombres in Poesie.

It's taken me a while to get around to reviewing this Chanel eyeshadow palette as although I really liked it I didn't use it too much at first. I think this is because I have quite a few neutral/bronzey toned palettes that I was in the habit of using everyday without even thinking about it. However, after using this for about a month it's fast becoming one of my favourites!

For one, the packaging is simply DIVINE. Look at it! It's gorgeous, so very glamorous as well as brilliantly compact and easy to throw in your handbag. I find the mirror particularly good for on-the-go touch-ups as its nice and big.

On to the eyeshadows. I've only ever used Chanel's cream eye shadows before so these were a first time for me, they're lovely and buttery as well as nicely pigmented for shimmery neutral shades. The shimmer in them isn't too chunky or sparkly which I liked a lot. They add a lovely light wash of shimmer to the eyes that still looks sophisticated, not glittery! My favourite colour is the second shade on the top row which is far more gold when applied, initially I wondered why there were two light pearlescent shades in one palette but they are quite different when swatched. The orange-bronze is also pretty all over the lid and applied quite heavily under the eye with lashings of mascara.

I got this as a gift and it really is a lovely present to receive, I do think they are worth the splurge if you were buying one for yourself too! I can see myself using this more and more, especially while traveling as you can do a lot with this little palette to take you from a fresh daytime look to something a little bit more sultry!